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The invention discloses a single-host multi-workstation computer system
and its equipment configuration method. The system includes a host, in
which installs at least one separate graphic card and at least one
workstation card; the workstation card is integrated with graphic cards
and input/output interfaces. The method includes the steps: (a) identify
all workstation cards connected to the host; correlate each workstation
card with an extended workstation; correlate all separate graphic cards
with a primary workstation; (b) allocate human-machine interaction (HMI)
devices connected to the same workstation card and graphic cards on the
workstation card to the extended workstation corresponding to the
workstation card; allocate other HMI devices to the primary workstation.
The invention enables automatic "single-host multi-workstation"
configuration of all the HMI devices; the configuration logic is simple
and clear; the division of various workstations is intuitive; the user
can perform hot plug and play to any USB device.

Inventors:

Zhang; Weiming; (Guangdong, CN)

Assignee:

SILTRON INC.

Serial No.:

127426

Series Code:

13

Filed:

October 21, 2009

PCT Filed:

October 21, 2009

PCT NO:

PCT/CN09/74554

371 Date:

May 3, 2011

Current U.S. Class:

710/301

Class at Publication:

710/301

International Class:

G06F 13/00 20060101 G06F013/00

Foreign Application Data

Date

Code

Application Number

Nov 4, 2008

CN

PCT/CN2008/072919

Claims

1. An equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system, wherein the system comprises a host, in which installs
at least a separate graphic card and at least a workstation card, the
workstation card being integrated with a graphic card and an input/output
interface; the method performing configuration of single-host
multi-workstation by means of the system, characterized in that, the
method comprises the following steps: (1) identifying all the workstation
cards connected to the host; correlating each of the workstation cards
with an extended workstation; correlating all the separate graphic cards
with a primary workstation; (2) allocating human-machine interaction
devices connected to the same workstation card and the graphic cards
integrated on the workstation card to the extended workstation
corresponding to the workstation card; allocating other human-machine
interaction devices to the primary workstation.

2. The equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, the
human-machine interaction device is selected from one of keyboard, mouse,
remote control receiver, joy stick, sound card, speaker, microphone,
camera and handwriting pen or the combination.

3. The equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, the
input/output interface integrated on the workstation card includes a USB
port, a PS2 port or a serial port.

4. The equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, the
"human-machine interaction devices connected to the same workstation
card" refer to the human-machine interaction devices directly connected
to the workstation card and/or the human-machine interaction devices
connected through a USB Hub in connection with a USB port of the
workstation card.

5. The equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, the step of
"correlating each of the workstation cards with an extended workstation"
is detailed as: setting a number of extended workstations in the system
to be the same as a number of the workstation cards identified so as to
correlate the extended workstations and the workstation cards one to one.

6. The equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, before step
(1) of the configuration method, step (0) as below is further comprised:
making all the separate graphic cards connected to the host and the
graphic cards integrated on the workstation cards display a same user
interface.

7. The equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, the
separate graphic card excludes the graphic card integrated on a
workstation card, but includes a graphic card integrated on a computer
mainboard and a separate graphic card inserted into a computer mainboard.

8. The equipment configuration method as claimed in claim 1,
characterized in that, after step (2), further comprising the following
step: when identifying a new human-machine interaction device at any
moment after step (2) is finished, if the device is connected to a
workstation card, then allocating the device to the extended workstation
corresponding to the workstation card; if the device is not connected to
a workstation card, then allocating the device to the primary
workstation.

9. A workstation card as used in the equipment configuration method as
claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, the workstation card is
integrated with at least one graphic card and at least one interface for
connecting to an input device, the interface for connecting to an input
device being a USB port or a PS/2 port or a serial port.

10. A single-host multi-workstation computer system, wherein the system
comprises a host, in which installs at least one separate graphic card
and at least one workstation card as used in the equipment configuration
method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the workstation card is integrated
with at least one graphic card and at least one interface for connecting
to an input device, the interface for connecting to an input device being
a USB port or a PS/2 port or a serial port; the graphic cards on the same
workstation card and human-machine interaction devices connected to the
workstation card being correlated with a same workstation, characterized
in that, adopting the equipment configuration method as claimed in claim
1.

11. A hardware add-in card, which could be inserted into a slot of a
mainboard, characterized in that, the add-in card is integrated with two
or more workstation cards as claimed in claim 9.

12. An equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system, characterized in that, the method comprises the
following steps: (1) identifying all workstation cards connected to a
host; correlating each of the workstation cards with an extended
workstation; correlating all separate graphic cards with a primary
workstation; (2) allocating human-machine interaction devices connected
to the same workstation card and graphic cards integrated on the
workstation card to the extended workstation corresponding to the
workstation card; allocating other human-machine interaction devices to
the primary workstation.

13. The equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that, the
human-machine interaction device is selected from one of keyboard, mouse,
remote control receiver, joy stick, sound card, speaker, microphone,
camera and handwriting pen or the combination.

14. The equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that, an
input/output interface integrated on the workstation card includes a USB
port, a PS2 port or a serial port.

15. The equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that, the
"human-machine interaction devices connected to the same workstation
card" refer to the human-machine interaction devices directly connected
to the workstation card and/or the human-machine interaction devices
connected through a USB Hub in connection with a USB port of the
workstation card.

16. The equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that, the step
of "correlating each of the workstation cards with an extended
workstation" is detailed as: setting a number of extended workstations in
the system to be the same as a number of the workstation cards identified
so as to correlate the extended workstations and the workstation cards
one to one.

17. The equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that, before
step (1) of the configuration method, step (0) as below is further
comprised: making all the separate graphic cards connected to the host
and the graphic cards integrated on the workstation cards display a same
user interface.

18. The equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that, the
separate graphic card excludes the graphic card integrated on a
workstation card, but includes a graphic card integrated on a computer
mainboard and a separate graphic card inserted into a computer mainboard.

19. The equipment configuration method as claimed in claim 12,
characterized in that, after step (2), further comprising the following
step: when identifying a new human-machine interaction device at any
moment after step (2) is finished, if the device is connected to a
workstation card, then allocating the device to the extended workstation
corresponding to the workstation card; if the device is not connected to
a workstation card, then allocating the device to the primary
workstation.

20. A workstation card as used in the equipment configuration method as
claimed in claim 12, characterized in that, the workstation card is
integrated with at least one graphic card and at least one interface for
connecting to an input device, the interface for connecting to an input
device is a USB port or a PS/2 port or a serial port.

21. An equipment configuration module of single-host multi-workstation
computer system, wherein the system comprises a host, in which installs
at least one separate graphic card and at least one workstation card, the
workstation card being integrated with a graphic card and an input/output
interface; characterized in that, the equipment configuration module
comprises: an identification unit, used to identify all the workstation
cards connected to the host; a first control unit, used to correlate each
of the workstation cards with an extended workstation; a second control
unit, used to correlate all the separate graphic cards with a primary
workstation; a first allocation unit, used to allocate human-machine
interaction devices connected to the same workstation card and the
graphic cards integrated on the workstation card to the extended
workstation corresponding to the workstation card; a second allocation
unit, used to allocate other human-machine interaction devices to the
primary workstation.

22. The equipment configuration module of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 21, characterized in that, the
human-machine interaction device is selected from one of keyboard, mouse,
remote control receiver, joy stick, sound card, speaker, microphone,
camera and handwriting pen or the combination.

23. The equipment configuration module of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 21, characterized in that, the
input/output interface integrated on the workstation card includes a USB
port, a PS2 port or a serial port.

24. The equipment configuration module of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 21, characterized in that, the
"human-machine interaction devices connected to the same workstation
card" refer to the human-machine interaction devices directly connected
to the workstation card and/or the human-machine interaction devices
connected through a USB Hub in connection with a USB port of the
workstation card.

25. The equipment configuration module of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 21, characterized in that, the first
control unit comprises: a quantity setting unit, used to set a number of
extended workstations in the system to be the same as a number of the
workstation cards identified so as to correlate the extended workstations
and the workstation cards one to one.

26. The equipment configuration module of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 21, characterized in that, the
equipment configuration module further comprises: an initializing unit,
used to make all the separate graphic cards connected to the host and the
graphic cards integrated on the workstation cards display a same user
interface.

27. The equipment configuration module of single-host multi-workstation
computer system as claimed in claim 21, characterized in that, the
separate graphic card excludes the graphic card integrated on a
workstation card, but includes a graphic card integrated on a computer
mainboard and a separate graphic card inserted into a computer mainboard.

28. The equipment configuration module as claimed in claim 21,
characterized in that, the equipment configuration module further
comprises: a re-identification unit, which is used at any moment after
the operating steps of the first allocation unit and the second
allocation unit; when identifying a new human-machine interaction device,
if the device is connected to a workstation card, allocating the device
to the extended workstation corresponding to the workstation card; if the
device is not connected to a workstation card, allocating the device to
the primary workstation.

29.-36. (canceled)

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention discloses an equipment configuration method
of single-host multi-workstation computer system and a workstation card,
wherein the workstation card is integrated with at least one graphic card
and at least one USB port. The present invention further provides a
single-host multi-workstation computer system and a hardware add-in card.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Single-host multi-workstation technology for computer is a
technology to install a small amount of hardware and the corresponding
software (the software is a key part of the single-host multi-workstation
technology, so is generally called a single-host multi-workstation
software) in an ordinary computer to share one computer among multiple
users at the same time, enabling the multiple users to share the
hardware, software and peripheral resources of one computer individually
at the same time, namely, one host serving multiple workstations.

[0003] Single-host multi-workstation technology allows one computer to
serve as multiple ones, providing distinctive benefits. As to single-host
multi-workstation software as mentioned above, there have been two
products Betwin and Hishare available in the market which are widely used
in the field of electronic reading room and other fields.

[0004] If a computer is connected with several human-machine interaction
devices, the human-machine interaction devices including but not limited
to a graphic card, a display terminal <monitor, projector, television,
etc.> a sound card, a speaker, an earphone, a microphone, a mouse, a
keyboard, a joy pad and other input/output devices, (the same below);
when this computer is logged in and/or used by multiple user names, it is
required to allocate these human-machine interaction devices to different
workstations according to the users' desires (each workstation is
composed of one or several human-machine interaction devices sharing one
host's resources for one user's use, the same below). There have been
several solutions for the allocation method and system, but these
solutions still have some defects.

[0005] The first solution is a popular technical solution in nowadays,
which includes the following three steps: [0006] A. Connect all the
human-machine interaction devices to a computer, switch on the computer
and log into the computer, at this time, all the human-machine
interaction devices belong to one login user. [0007] B. Run the
single-host multi-workstation software, enter the workstation
configuration interface, display all the human-machine interaction
devices to the computer user, and then the computer user allocate these
human-machine interaction devices to different workstations. [0008] C.
Afterwards, when the computer is in a multi-workstation state, all the
human-machine interaction devices are automatically allocated to
different workstations according to the allocation in step 2 under the
control of the single-host multi-workstation software. Different computer
users may log into one workstation by using a corresponding user name and
individually use this computer.

[0009] Defects of this solution are as follows: in step 2, namely the step
of workstation configuration, the user is required to have professional
computer knowledge, thus increasing the difficulty in configuration;
moreover, the configuration method adopted by this solution is not
intuitive and direct.

[0010] The second technical solution is entitled a system and method for
configuring a multi-user computer system with U.S. Pat. No. 7,030,836.
This patent provides another method for configuring human-machine
interaction devices for various users of a single-host multi-workstation
computer. In this method, non-display human-machine interaction devices
are firstly configured by software, and then the computer user
participates in the configuration of human-machine interaction display
devices by following prompts in an intuitive and manual way, thereby
saving the work that the user manually configures the non-display
human-machine interaction devices and making the configuration of the
display devices more intuitive.

[0011] This patent adopts the concept of "collection". All the peripheral
devices belonging to one workstation are defined to be a collection in
this patent.

[0012] This solution includes the following three steps: [0013] 1. Connect
all the human-machine interaction devices to a computer, switch on the
computer and log into the computer, at this time, all the human-machine
interaction devices belong to one login user. [0014] 2. Run the
single-host multi-workstation software, and the computer will
automatically perform the configuration of the human-machine interaction
devices (steps c and d require the manual participation of the user); the
configuration process is as follows: [0015] A. Form a collection by
using all the non-USB non-display human-machine interaction devices (this
collection is temporarily not complete as display devices are temporarily
not included); [0016] B. Form a plurality of collections by using all the
USB non-display human-machine interaction devices according to a certain
logic (display devices temporarily not included), wherein the logic is
complicated; certain prerequisites are set; and it is needed to analyze
the connection relations between all the USB devices and the USB Hubs;
however, the technique of adding hardware feature identifications to USB
Hubs is not involved. [0017] C. The collections as defined according to
the abovementioned logic, each collection having at least a keyboard or a
mouse. The task of this step is to allocate the display devices to
different collections one by one. Therefore, the system shows a prompt
dialog box in a first display device, instructing the user to press any
key of a keyboard or a mouse, wherein the keyboard or the mouse belongs
to a workstation that the user wants the first display device to be
included, and then the display device is added to the collection that the
keyboard or the mouse belongs to according to the key pressed. [0018] D.
Other display devices are also implemented as per step c one by one.
[0019] 3. After the configuration process, various workstations enter
into the operating state according to the configuration result. Different
computer users log into any one of the workstations by using a respective
user name and individually use this computer.

[0020] The defects of the above patent are as follows:

[0021] Firstly, according to the configuration method of this patent, it
is required that each workstation has at least a keyboard (or other
human-machine interaction input device of designated type). Such a
requirement is not a reasonable precondition because the configuration
cannot be completed if a workstation does not have a keyboard (or the
human-machine interaction input device of designated type).

[0022] Secondly, according to the configuration method of this patent,
those human-machine interaction devices plugged in different USB Hubs
(sub-Hub and parent-Hub) may belong to different collections
(corresponding to different workstations), or may be forced to belong to
a same collection (corresponding to the same workstation). Common users
are prone to take the latter as a mistake.

[0023] Thirdly, when the system enters into the multi-workstation
operating state after the configuration, if those human-machine
interaction devices after configuration are disconnected from the host,
for example, being unplugged by the user or being in a poor contact with
the host, else if the USB devices after configuration are unplugged from
one USB port and plugged into another port of the same USB Hub,
configuration errors may take place, leading to the operation of some
human-machine interaction devices failing to conform to the configuration
result; that is to say, the "one-host multi-user" computer and various
human-machine interaction devices according to this solution may have
unfavorable operating stability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0024] To overcome the above technical defects, the present invention
provides an equipment configuration method of single-host
multi-workstation computer system, meanwhile, the present invention
further provides a workstation card and a single-host multi-workstation
computer system containing this workstation card as well as a hardware
add-in card which could be inserted into a slot of a mainboard. After the
workstation card is inserted into the mainboard of the computer, if this
computer is to be configured into multiple workstations running
individually and independently, the configuration method can be
automatically completed by a single-host multi-workstation software, and
the system is highly stable.

[0025] The detailed technical solution is as follows:

[0026] An equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system, wherein the system comprises a host, in which installs
at least one separate graphic card and at least one workstation card; the
workstation card is integrated with at least one graphic card and at
least one interface for connecting with an input device; the interface
for connecting with an input device is a USB port or a PS/2 port or a
serial port; the method performs single-host multi-workstation
configuration by using the system, wherein the method includes the
following steps: [0027] (1) Identify all the workstation cards connected
to the host; [0028] Correlate each of the workstation cards with an
extended workstation; [0029] Correlate all the separate graphic cards
with a primary workstation; [0030] (2) Allocate human-machine
interaction devices connected to the same workstation card to the
extended workstation corresponding to the workstation card; allocate
other human-machine interaction devices to the primary workstation.

[0031] It shall be noted that, the extended workstation refers to a
workstation formed by using the human-machine interaction devices and
display devices connected to a certain workstation card to share the host
resources. The primary workstation refers to a workstation formed by
using those human-machine interaction devices and display devices
connected to other than a workstation card to share the host resources.
The human-machine interaction devices connected to the same workstation
card include those human-machine interaction devices connected directly
to a workstation card or connected through a USB Hub to a workstation
card.

[0032] The step "identify all the workstation cards connected to the host"
is preferably as follows: "identify those graphic cards and/or USB ports
and/or PS/2 ports and/or serial ports integrated on the workstation cards
of the host; and divide the graphic cards and/or USB ports and/or PS/2
ports and/or serial ports integrated on the same workstation card into
one group; each group is correlated with a workstation card."

[0033] The step "identify all the workstation cards connected to the host"
is preferably as follows: "a. identify the devices inserted in various
slots of the mainboard as well as the peripheral interfaces of these
devices, namely, the interfaces for connecting to external input/output
devices. b. if the peripheral interfaces of the device inserted in a
certain slot have both a video output interface for connecting with a
display device and an interface for connecting with an input device, it
is indicated that the device inserted in this slot is a workstation
card".

[0034] Another preferable way is that, the computer may identify a
workstation card as a new type of device, different from a graphic card,
then the step "identify all the workstation cards connected to the host"
can be performed in a traditional way, for example, being automatically
identified via a common way of the windows operating system.

[0035] The workstation card is inserted into a slot of the mainboard
inside the host or is integrated onto the mainboard. The situation of
workstation card being integrated onto the mainboard, similar with the
situation of workstation card being inserted onto the mainboard, is also
within the protection scope of the present invention. As to the situation
of workstation card being integrated onto the mainboard, a preferable way
is that, a predetermined corresponding relationship exists between a
certain video output interface and certain interfaces for connecting with
input devices on the mainboard, and the corresponding relationship can be
retrieved by the single-host multi-workstation software.

[0036] The equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system, wherein, the human-machine interaction device is
selected from one of keyboard, mouse, remote control receiver, joy stick,
sound card, speaker, microphone, camera and handwriting pen or the
combination. If new input devices are developed, for example an input
device of golf club for playing golf, they are also within the protection
scope of the present invention. The graphic cards integrated onto the
workstation card and the human-machine interaction devices connected to
the workstation card are correlated with the same workstation. The USB
chip corresponding to the USB port integrated onto the workstation card
is located on the workstation card or the computer mainboard. The graphic
cards and the interfaces for connecting with input devices, namely the
USB ports or PS/2 ports or serial ports of the workstation card, shall be
corresponded to each other in hardware design. A preferable way for
implementing the workstation card is to integrate on a graphic card the
interfaces of other human-machine interaction connection devices (such as
a USB Hub) or other human-machine interaction devices.

[0037] The equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system, wherein, the step "correlate each of the workstation
cards with an extended workstation" is detailed as below: set the number
of the extended workstations in the system to be the same as the number
of the workstation cards identified, and correlate the extended
workstations and the workstation cards one to one.

[0038] The equipment configuration method of single-host multi-workstation
computer system, wherein, before step (1) of the configuration method,
step (0) as below is further included: make all the graphic cards and
workstation cards connected to the host display a same user interface.

[0039] The workstation card as used in the equipment configuration method,
wherein, the workstation card is integrated with at least one graphic
card and at least one interface for connecting with input devices; the
interface for connecting with input devices is a USB port or a PS/2 port
or a serial port.

[0040] The workstation card, wherein, the USB chip corresponding to the
USB port integrated on the workstation card is located on the workstation
card or the computer mainboard. The graphic cards and the interfaces for
connecting with input devices, namely the USB ports or PS/2 ports or
serial ports of the workstation card, shall be corresponded to each other
in hardware design.

[0041] A single-host multi-workstation computer system, the system
comprising a host, wherein at least one separate graphic card and at
least one workstation card as mentioned above are installed in the host;
the graphic cards on the same workstation card and the human-machine
interaction devices connected to this workstation card are correlated
with a same workstation. The separate graphic cards, referring to those
graphic cards commonly used in a computer, include graphic cards
integrated onto the computer mainboard and separate graphic cards
inserted onto the computer mainboard. The separate graphic cards do not
include graphic cards integrated on workstation cards. The separate
graphic cards have a coequal relationship with the workstation cards, but
they are different from the workstation cards in the present invention.
The separate graphic cards are not integrated with interfaces for
connecting with input devices.

[0042] The equipment configuration method, wherein, after step (2),
further includes the following step: when identifying a new human-machine
interaction device at any moment after step (2), if the device is
connected to a workstation card, the device is allocated to the extended
workstation corresponding to the workstation card; if the device is not
connected to a workstation card, the device is allocated to the primary
workstation.

[0043] A workstation card, in which integrates at least one graphic card
and at least one interface for connecting with input devices, namely a
USB port or a PS/2 port or a serial port; the graphic card and the
interface for connecting with input devices, namely the USB port or PS/2
port or serial port are corresponded to each other in hardware design. In
a single-host multi-workstation computer system, the graphic cards of the
same workstation card and the human-machine interaction devices connected
to the workstation card are correlated with the same workstation.

[0044] The present invention provides a single-host multi-workstation
computer system, wherein the system comprises a host; the host has at
least one separate graphic card and at least one workstation card
installed in it; graphic cards of the same workstation card and
human-machine interaction devices connected to the workstation card are
correlated with a same workstation, characterized in that, the
above-mentioned equipment configuration method is adopted.

[0045] The present invention further provides a hardware add-in card which
can be inserted into a slot of a mainboard, wherein, the add-in card is
integrated with two or more workstation cards as mentioned above.

[0046] The present invention further provides an equipment configuration
method of single-host multi-workstation computer system, wherein the
method includes the following steps: [0047] (1) Identify all the
workstation cards connected to a host; [0048] Correlate each of the
workstation cards with an extended workstation; [0049] Correlate all the
separate graphic cards with a primary workstation; [0050] (2) Allocate
human-machine interaction devices connected to the same workstation card
to the extended workstation corresponding to the workstation card;
allocate other human-machine interaction devices to the original
workstation.

[0051] The present invention further provides an equipment configuration
module of single-host multi-workstation computer system, wherein the
system includes a host, in which installs at least one separate graphic
card and at least one workstation card; the workstation card is
integrated with a graphic card and an input/output interface; wherein the
equipment configuration module includes: an identification unit, used to
identify all the workstation cards connected to the host; a first control
unit, used to correlate each of the workstation cards with an extended
workstation; a second control unit, used to correlate all the separate
graphic cards with a primary workstation; a first allocation unit, used
to allocate the human-machine interaction devices connected to the same
workstation card and the graphic cards integrated in the workstation card
to the extended workstation corresponding to the workstation card; a
second allocation unit, used to allocate other human-machine interaction
devices to the primary workstation.

[0052] The human-machine interaction device is selected from one of
keyboard, mouse, remote control receiver, joy stick, sound card, speaker,
microphone, camera and handwriting pen or the combination.

[0053] The input/output interface integrated on the workstation card
includes a USB port, a PS2 port or a serial port.

[0054] The "human-machine interaction devices connected to the same
workstation card" as described in the first allocation unit refer to
human-machine interaction devices directly connected to the workstation
card and/or human-machine interaction devices connected through a USB Hub
in connection with a USB port of the workstation card.

[0055] The first control unit includes: a quantity setting unit, used to
set the number of the extended workstations in the system to be the same
as the number of the workstation cards identified, so as to correlate the
extended workstations and the workstation cards one to one.

[0056] The equipment configuration module further includes: an
initializing unit, used to make all the separate graphic cards connected
to the host and the graphic cards integrated on the workstation cards
display a same user interface.

[0057] The separate graphic cards exclude the graphic cards integrated on
a workstation card, but include graphic cards integrated on a computer
mainboard and separate graphic cards inserted onto a computer mainboard.

[0058] The equipment configuration module further includes: a
re-identification unit, which is used at any moment after the operating
steps of the first allocation unit and the second allocation unit; when a
new human-machine interaction device is identified, if the device is
connected to a workstation card, the device is allocated to the extended
workstation corresponding to the workstation card; if the device is not
connected to a workstation card, the device is allocated to the primary
workstation.

[0059] The present invention further provides an equipment configuration
module of single-host multi-workstation computer system, wherein the
equipment configuration module includes: an identification unit, used to
identify all the workstation cards connected to a host; a first control
unit, used to correlate each of the workstation cards with an extended
workstation; a second control unit, used to correlate all the separate
graphic cards with a primary workstation; a first allocation unit, used
to allocate human-machine interaction devices connected to the same
workstation card and graphic cards integrated on this workstation card to
the extended workstation corresponding to this workstation card; a second
allocation unit, used to allocate other human-machine interaction devices
to the primary workstation.

[0060] The favorable effects of the present invention are as below:

[0061] Firstly, compared with the US patent in the prior art, by adopting
the configuration method of the present invention in a computer, the
single-host multi-workstation configuration of all the human-machine
interaction devices can be automatically completed, and the configuration
logic is simple and clear.

[0062] Secondly, the display devices and human-machine interaction devices
connected to the same workstation card is correlated with the same
extended workstation; when the user uses the computer in a single-host
multi-workstation way, the division of various workstations is direct and
intuitive.

[0063] Thirdly, compared with the US patent in the prior art, in a
multi-workstation working state, the user can perform hot plug and play
to any USB device (the hot plug and play action of the user may just
increase or reduce a device in the corresponding workstation, rather than
exert other influences). The user may also connect a USB device without
configuration to the host, and then the device is automatically allocated
to the workstation corresponding to the workstation card and runs
normally in this workstation

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0064] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the appearance of a workstation card
according to embodiment one of the present invention.

[0065] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the connection of the
single-host multi-workstation computer system based on the workstation
card and other devices according to embodiment one of the present
invention.

[0066] FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the division of modules of the
single-host multi-workstation software according to embodiment one of the
present invention.

[0067] FIG. 4 is a logic view of the equipment configuration method of
single-host multi-workstation system according to embodiment one of the
present invention.

[0068] FIG. 5 is a structural view of the parameter of table of
human-machine interaction devices of various workstations of the
single-host multi-workstation software according to embodiment one of the
present invention.

[0069] FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the values of the parameter of
table of human-machine interaction devices of various workstations of the
single-host multi-workstation according to embodiment one of the present
invention.

[0070] FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing the dynamic configuration logic
of new human-machine interaction devices according to embodiment one of
the present invention.

[0071] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the division of various workstations
of the single-host multi-workstation according to embodiment one of the
present invention.

[0072] FIG. 9 is a schematic view of the division of various workstations
of the single-host multi-workstation at another moment according to
embodiment one of the present invention.

[0073] FIG. 10 is a schematic view of the appearance of a workstation card
according to embodiment two of the present invention.

[0074] FIG. 11 is a schematic view of the appearance of a workstation card
according to embodiment three of the present invention.

[0075] FIG. 12 is a schematic view of the appearance of a workstation card
according to embodiment four of the present invention.

[0076] FIG. 13 is a schematic view of the appearance of a hardware add-in
card according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0077] FIG. 14 is a structural view of the equipment configuration module
of "single-host multi-workstation" computer system according to
embodiment six of the present invention.

[0078] FIG. 15 is a structural view of the first control unit in the
equipment configuration module of "single-host multi-workstation"
computer system according to embodiment seven of the present invention.

[0079] FIG. 16 is a structural view of the equipment configuration module
of "single-host multi-workstation" computer system comprising an
initializing unit according to embodiment eight of the present invention.

[0080] FIG. 17 is a structural view of the equipment configuration module
of "single-host multi-workstation" computer system according to
embodiment nine of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0081] The present invention is further detailed in combination with the
drawings and the embodiments. Please refer to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a
schematic view of a workstation card according to embodiment one of the
present invention, wherein, the workstation card 100 is provided with a
gold finger 107, which can be inserted into a slot of a mainboard in a
computer host. A USB port 102 and a video output interface 101 are
disposed on the card; on both sides of the video output interface 101 are
fixing thread holes 106.

[0082] Please refer to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 shows a single-host
multi-workstation computer system based on the workstation card, which
comprises a computer host 200; in the computer host 200 installs a
separate graphic card 203, a workstation card 100, a workstation card 205
and a workstation card 207. The host is provided with a USB port 208, a
PS/2 port 202 and a serial port 206. A mouse 212 and a USB remote
controller 213 are connected to the workstation card 100 via USB Hub 2; a
PS/2 mouse 211 is connected to the workstation card 205. Meanwhile, the
computer host 200 is further connected with a PS/2 keyboard 201 and a USB
mouse 209, and is connected with a mouse 210 via USB Hub 1. In addition,
video interfaces on the graphic card 203 and the workstation cards 100,
205 are connected with display devices respectively. No human-machine
interaction device is connected to the workstation card 207.

[0083] Please refer to FIG. 3, to configure the computer system in FIG. 2
to be a single-host multi-workstation system, the present solution
installs a set of single-host multi-workstation software in the system,
generally, the software includes 2 modules and a common parameter; the 2
modules are single-host multi-workstation configuration module 300 and
single-host multi-workstation operation supporting module 302
respectively; the common parameter is table of human-machine interaction
devices of various workstations 301.

[0084] Please refer to FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, after the installation
of the single-host multi-workstation software, run the software, so that
the single-host multi-workstation configuration module 300 of embodiment
one is automatically performed. The software will perform the below
configuration method comprising the following steps: [0085] 1. Make all
the separate graphic cards connected to the computer host and the graphic
cards integrated on the workstation cards display a same user interface
(step 400), the result of this step is that, the current monitor 177,
television 178 and television 179 will display the same user interface.
[0086] 2. Identify all the workstation cards connected to the host (step
401), detailed as: identify those graphic cards and/or USB ports and/or
PS/2 ports and/or serial ports integrated on the workstation cards on the
host; divide the graphic cards and/or USB ports and/or PS/2 ports and/or
serial ports integrated on the same workstation car into one group; each
group corresponds to a workstation card. [0087] 3. Correlate each of the
workstation cards with an extended workstation, and correlate all the
separate graphic cards with a primary workstation (step 403), detailed
as: for each workstation card, add an extended workstation in the
parameter of table of human-machine interaction devices of various
workstations 301. The data structure of the parameter of table of
human-machine interaction devices of various workstations 301 is as shown
in FIG. 5, which is a chained list; the chained list has one and only one
head node, used to record the device names of all the devices of the
primary workstation; other nodes of the chained list respectively record
the device names of all the devices of one extended workstation; [0088]
4. Allocate the human-machine interaction devices connected to the same
workstation card and the graphic cards integrated on this workstation
card to the extended workstation corresponding to this workstation card;
allocate other human-machine interaction devices to the primary
workstation (step 404), detailed as: respectively record the device names
of the graphic cards integrated on a respective workstation card and the
device names of the devices connected to the USB ports, PS/2 ports or
serial ports integrated on the respective workstation card (including
devices indirectly connected to the workstation card via a USB Hub) into
the corresponding chained list node in the "parameter of table of
human-machine interaction devices of various workstations" 301 (a
workstation card corresponding to an extended workstation, an extended
workstation corresponding to a chained list node); record the device
names of the separate graphic cards on the host and other human-machine
interaction devices connected to the host into the chained list node
corresponding to the primary workstation. The execution result of this
step is that: the values of the parameter of table of human-machine
interaction devices of various workstations 301 are as shown in FIG. 6.
There are 4 list nodes, and each node indicates a workstation.

[0089] Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 7, after the execution of the
single-host multi-workstation configuration module 300, automatically
perform the single-host multi-workstation operation supporting module
302, and at the same time dynamically maintain the parameter of table of
human-machine interaction devices of various workstations 301, detailed
as: switch the computer into a multi-workstation operating status
according to the parameter of "table of human-machine interaction devices
of various workstations" 301. In the multi-workstation operating status,
the computer system is divided into multiple workstations; these multiple
workstations operate individually and independently, and can be used by
multiple users individually and independently. At this time, if a certain
human-machine interaction device is disconnected from the host, the
device name of this human-machine interaction device is deleted from the
parameter 301; if a new human-machine interaction device is identified by
the host, the device name of this device is added to the chained list
node of the corresponding workstation in the parameter 301. The detailed
logic, as described in FIG. 7, comprises the following steps: [0090] 1. A
new human-machine interaction device is identified (step 410). [0091] 2.
Determine whether this human-machine interaction device is connected to a
workstation card (step 411).

[0092] If so, allocate this human-machine interaction device to the
extended workstation corresponding to the workstation card; record the
device name of this device to the chained list node corresponding to the
extended workstation in the parameter of table of human-machine
interaction devices.

[0093] If not, allocate this human-machine interaction device to the
primary workstation; record the device name of this device to the chained
list node (head node of the chained list) corresponding to the primary
workstation in the parameter of table of human-machine interaction
devices.

[0094] Please refer to FIG. 8, the computer system in embodiment one,
after finishing the above steps, is divided to a primary workstation and
3 extended workstations; the 4 stations operate individually and
independently, wherein the extended workstation 3 is in an idle state as
it is not connected with any human-machine interaction device.

[0095] Please refer to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, once the workstation card 207 is
connected with a corresponding device, as shown in FIG. 9, the extended
workstation 3 together with other workstations can serve 4 users at the
same time for individual use.

[0096] Please refer to FIG. 10, the workstation card according to
embodiment two of the present invention is integrated with a graphic
card, a serial port 108, a USB port 109 and a PS/2 port 119. A video
output interface 118 of the graphic card is shown in the figure.

[0097] Please refer to FIG. 11, the workstation card according to
embodiment three of the present invention is integrated with two graphic
cards (each graphic card corresponding to a video output interface) and a
PS/2 port.

[0098] Please refer to FIG. 12, the workstation card according to
embodiment four of the present invention is integrated with two graphic
cards (each graphic card corresponding to a video output interface) and a
serial port 110.

[0099] Please refer to FIG. 13, the workstation card according to the
hardware add-in card embodiment of the present invention is integrated
with a kind of hardware add-in card 500 which can be inserted into a slot
of the mainboard. On the add-in card integrates two workstation cards,
respectively workstation card 501 and workstation card 502. Installing
the hardware add-in card in the host is similar to installing two
workstation cards (workstation card 501 and workstation card 502).

[0101] an identification unit, used to identify all the workstation cards
connected to the host;

[0102] a first control unit, used to correlate each of the workstation
cards with an extended workstation;

[0103] a second control unit, used to correlate all the separate graphic
cards with the primary workstation;

[0104] a first allocation unit, used to allocate the human-machine
interaction devices connected to the same workstation card and the
graphic cards integrated on the workstation card to the extended
workstation corresponding to the workstation card;

[0105] a second allocation unit, used to allocate other human-machine
interaction devices to the primary workstation.

[0106] The present invention further discloses embodiment seven;
embodiment seven also discloses an equipment configuration module of
single-host multi-workstation computer system, wherein the system
comprises a host; in the host installs at least one separate graphic card
and at least one workstation card; on the workstation card integrates a
graphic card and an input/output interface; wherein the equipment
configuration module includes:

[0107] an identification unit, used to identify all the workstation cards
connected to the host;

[0108] a first control unit, used to correlate each of the workstation
cards with an extended workstation;

[0109] a second control unit, used to correlate all the separate graphic
cards with the primary workstation;

[0110] a first allocation unit, used to allocate the human-machine
interaction devices connected onto the same workstation card and the
graphic cards integrated on the workstation card to the extended
workstation corresponding to the workstation card;

[0111] a second allocation unit, used to allocate other human-machine
interaction devices to the primary workstation.

[0112] Wherein, the human-machine interaction device is selected from one
of keyboard, mouse, remote control receiver, joy stick, sound card,
speaker, microphone, camera and handwriting pen or the combination.

[0114] Wherein, the "human-machine interaction devices connected to the
same workstation card" in the first allocation unit refer to the
human-machine interaction devices directly connected to the workstation
card and/or the human-machine interaction devices connected through a USB
Hub connected to the USB port of the workstation card.

[0115] Please refer to FIG. 15, the first control unit includes: a
quantity setting unit, used to set the number of extended workstations in
the system to be the same as the number of the workstation cards
identified so as to correlate the extended workstations and the
workstation cards one to one.

[0116] Please refer to FIG. 16, the present invention further discloses
embodiment eight; the equipment configuration module of single-host
multi-workstation computer system disclosed in embodiment eight is
substantially the same as that in embodiment seven; the main difference
is that, the equipment configuration module further includes: an
initializing unit, used to make all the separate graphic cards connected
to the host and the graphic cards integrated on the workstation cards
display the same user interface.

[0117] Wherein the separate graphic cards exclude the graphic cards
integrated on the workstation cards, but include the graphic cards
integrated on the computer mainboard and the separate graphic cards
inserted into the computer mainboard.

[0118] Please refer to FIG. 17, the present invention further discloses
embodiment nine; the equipment configuration module of single-host
multi-workstation computer system disclosed in embodiment nine is
substantially the same as that in embodiment eight; the main difference
is that, the equipment configuration module further includes: a
re-identification unit, which is used at any moment after the operating
steps of the first allocation unit and the second allocation unit; when a
new human-machine interaction device is identified, if the device is
connected to a workstation card, then the device is allocated to the
extended workstation corresponding to the workstation card; if the device
is not connected to a workstation card, then the device is allocated to
the primary workstation.

[0119] Although the present invention is explained in detail by several
embodiments, it is still obvious for those skilled in this art that
various substitutions, revisions and changes may be made according to the
abovementioned description. Therefore, all these substitutions, revisions
and changes shall be within the spirit and scope claimed by the Claims
herein.